A Beautiful Mess
by Facts vs. Romance
Summary: Maybe Casey's incompetence is exactly what she and Derek both need to discover themselves and each other. Or maybe, its just going to be one, big, complicated mess. Who cares, it's Dasey :D
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 In Which There Are Sheldon's Diagrams

_Oh my God_ was all she could think as his lips descended on her neck. It wasn't even a good "oh my God." It was one of those times when she was mortified and had no idea what to do. Wasn't she supposed to know what to do? Emily had told her what to do in these situations but Casey had never really listened because she didn't want to think about her best friend doing stuff like this with Sheldon Schlepper. She tried to relax as his hands slid to her t-shirt and toyed with the ends.

"Come on Casey. Relax." Max groaned as Casey stiffened like a board. Something just didn't feel right about this whole thing. This whole _making out_ thing was one of those parts of life that unfortunately she couldn't study. As Max's hands wandered up her shirt again and he sucked a little too hard on her neck, she was suddenly stuck with fear. Maybe an illogical fear, but again she got that feeling of _wrongness_ and it sort of made her want to throw up. She normally didn't get like this unless she had a big presentation for school that she had to get ready for and it was life or death. Like A or A minus life or death. Casey hated those times and she certainly wasn't enjoying this. _Must get out! Must get out!_ Was all she could think as she suddenly sat up and almost hit Max in the nose.

"What the fuck, Casey? You almost broke my damn nose!" He groaned as he rubbed a hand over his face in frustration. He was noticeably excited and really wished that he was dating someone normal and well, easier. But easy was never something remotely associated with Casey, ever.

"I have to go Max. Maybe we can both take a rain check?" She was stammering, she was sure of it. And for some reason there was a hitch in her voice when she spoke. She knew she was blowing it and making herself seem like a complete prude for bailing on their make out session but she couldn't handle this. "I just remembered that my mom and George needed me home by 10 to get Marti to bed. For some reason she won't go to bed without me telling her a story nowadays." Did she really just say _nowadays_? She really was digging herself into a hole of loser-dome.

"Casey, it's 8:30 and I live 5 minutes away from you." Ooops. She should have thought of that before. "Why don't you tell me what's wrong and why you don't want me to kiss you and touch you tonight? I thought maybe we would finally take things a bit farther tonight. You know, farther than a few pecks on the lips." He snorted then added, "Maybe we could even kiss for longer than 5 seconds."

She bristled at his sarcastic remarks. They had SO kissed for longer than 5 seconds. I mean, there were the ones that lasted about 10 seconds… right?

"Max, really you're being ridiculous and for some reason, pressuring me. I want to go home and we'll talk tomorrow okay?" When he did nothing but stare at her like she had sprouted 2 additional heads, she snapped her fingers in his face. Max did nothing but shake his head incredulously and move off of the bed to pick up his keys and her discarded coat.

"Let's go." He said in a quiet voice. And with that, they were off.

Three hours later and Casey was staring up at her ceiling while Emily chatted, well more like scolded her, on the phone. She knew what she had done was bad and really immature, but Emily didn't understand her. Instead she kept screeching "Casey" over and over again and then proceeding to tell her how she wouldn't be surprised if Max up and dumped her first thing tomorrow morning. At the rate Emily was going, she was starting to understand what Derek must feel like every time she yelled at him. Speaking of Derek, where was he? It was after 11pm and he still wasn't home yet. He was probably still out with his hoes doing god knows what. Correction, they were doing god knows what _to_ him.

"Casey! Are you even listening to me?" Casey was startled as Emily screeched even louder into the phone. She definitely wasn't listening; she was too busy thinking about how slutty and inconsequential all of the girls Derek dated were.

"You know what? I'm coming over and we are talking about this face to face. We are going to settle this irrational fear you have of making out once and for all!" With that, she hung up and Casey was left with nothing but a dial tone. Sighing, Casey hung up the phone and prepared to take out the blow up mattress for Emily to sleep on. She only had a few more moments of silence before Emily was sure to continue to make her feel worse about the whole situation late into the night. When she heard a resounding thump downstairs, she thought "wrong" and crept out into the hallway to check who it was. It would only be two people anyway; either Derek creeping in from his date or Emily using the spare key under the potted plant outside.

She really hoped it wasn't Emily knocking over the plant that she had heard. Last time that happened, people dragged soil into the house for weeks and Casey's OCD had been on overdrive trying to clean it up all of the time.

"Who is it?" she asked peering down the stairs into the foyer. When no one answered she descended a few steps. After another moment and still no answer, she went down the last few and moved towards a table to turn on a light.

"When did it get so dark and creepy down here?" She mumbled to herself trying to feel around for the light. As her hand bumped into the lamp and almost knocked it over, she felt a gust of soft air blow on her face. Frozen, she waited a moment before continuing her quest for the light switch. "Finally" she thought as she felt the bump that served as the switch. Those thoughts quickly vanished altogether when she felt a larger, warmer hand cover hers and squeeze.

In his lifetime, Derek had heard a fair amount of screaming and yelling but until that moment, he had never heard that kind of shriek come from _Casey_. She was, after all, the one who usually screamed and yelled at him but what had just come out of her mouth and into his ears sounded almost animalistic and legitimately terrified. It almost made him feel bad for delighting so much in scaring her. Key word **almost**. As she stood still in fright, he reached guided her hand over the switch to turn on the light. The light spilled over them both in brightness and made them squint a little as they peered at each other. One wore a sheepish smile while the other stood gaping with her mouth wide open.

"What's up princess?" Internally, he grinned while he watched her slowly come back to life and open and close her mouth a few times. She was most likely thinking of the best scathing remark for this situation but after a few more moments of silence, he was ready to shake her. He didn't think he had scared her _that _badly.

"Well as much as I'm enjoying this princess, I really must be going. I smell like several different girls right now and I have to get up early for practice in the morning." Her face contorted at his statement in disgust and she was suddenly zapped back to normal. He felt her hand flex beneath his and he realized that they were still connected. He let go and took a step back.

"You _would_." Was the only response he got as she shoved past him in disgust and annoyance.

"1,2,3…" he counted in his head waiting for what was sure to come. He watched as Casey pivoted and turned back to him sticking her finger in his chest in what she thought was an intimidating manner. "Bingo" he thought as she jabbed him repeatedly while scolding him.

"Did you really think that that was funny? You are so ridiculous sometimes that I wonder how people are even interested in you. Do you do this to everyone? Or am I the only one who has the privilege of being tortured by you on a daily basis just because you are bored and you like to see me absolutely terrified that someone would come in and violate me or worse, KILL me."

He snorted at that. Leave it to her to jump to conclusions and think that he spends all of his time plotting against her. It would also figure that she would think someone was targeting her and plotting to kill her. He merely seized opportunities as they came to him. And those opportunities came often when it came to bugging Casey. She really made it easy on him.

"Whatever. You are so full of it Casey that I wonder how Emily deals with your drama. I'm going to bed." With that he shoved past her and trudged up the stairs and shut his door seconds later.

"Auuugggh." Was all she could manage before she heard Emily shuffling around the front door.

"Casey, why are you simultaneously pale and red at the same time? You kind of look like…oh jeez. Derek came home didn't he?" Emily rambled as she dragged an enormous bag in through the front door.

"Emily, I love you, but shut up." Casey fumed as she snatched Emily's bag away from her and stomped up the stairs mumbling unintelligible curse words.

"So I brought some diagrams as well as movies that will hopefully get you in the mood to errr 'get a move on' with Max."

Casey could only stare and feel even more embarrassed as Emily proceeded to _actually_ unfold diagrams that depicted people kissing and doing… other things that she didn't even want to think about. The drawings also looked suspiciously like Sheldon's handwriting and that weirded her out even more. Why 

did Emily have these and more importantly, who gave them to her. It made sense that Sheldon would, but it was still really weird.

"I thought maybe we could start with movies so you could have visuals and then we will follow up with the diagrams to really cement this knowledge in you. I think that we need to approach this like it is a science because that will make it seem like school to you. You are good at school so if making out is like a school subject, you will no doubt do well in it." Emily prattled on while organizing and sorting all of their "study" materials. Did Emily really think that she was that lame? Apparently she did if she felt it was best for Casey to think of making out as a school subject. What would happen if in the middle of math class she accidentally thought about this instead? Or worse, pulled out one of Sheldon's diagrams instead of her homework.

"Em, I really don't think that this is necessary. I just got freaked out tonight, that's all. I'll be fine next time Max decides that he is in the mood." There, that should get her to lay off, right?

"Casey, there in your statement is your problem. You said next time _Max_ is in the mood. You still won't like making out because you don't think that you'll be in the mood ever. Your statement proved that." At Casey's blank look she continued. "We need you to realize that making out is awesome and you'll enjoy it if you let yourself and have proper coaching. That's why we are going to stay up late, paint our nails, eat chocolate and watch people go at it!" When Casey didn't look even remotely excited, Emily sighed and added a "please?"

Several hours later, and after countless movies of what Casey considered soft core porn, Emily was sound asleep in Casey's bed and Casey was really tired of thinking so hard about making out. Wasn't making out supposed to just be natural? She was 17 for god's sake. She should be able to do this without all of this awkward, but well intended "help" from Emily (and Sheldon). But as she tried to think more positively about making out with Max, she found that she still couldn't get even remotely excited. Something about them making out earlier that evening just felt weird. There was no other way to describe it. Maybe she just wasn't cut out to make out with anyone, ever. Maybe all of those times she had joked with Emily about becoming a spinster or worse, asexual, really were true.

Suddenly Casey started to feel really bad for herself. And she _hated_ when she felt this way. It reminded her of all of the times she had been called Klutzilla and Grubby by people at school. Usually only Derek made her feel this shitty and lately she had been working really hard to avoid feeling this way. She had been succeeding until this stupid make out incident tonight.

"Tomorrow he won't know what hit him" she thought as she snuggled down into the air mattress by her bed. With the sound of Emily's soft snores, she quickly fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A.N: Thanks to those who reviewed for the first chapter. It's appreciated :D Hope you like this chapter. I'm still trying to completely work out where I want this story to go, but I think I've got it now.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything.

Casey awoke to the sound of shuffling near her head the next morning. She immediately thought _Derek_ before realizing that he thumped around, not shuffled. The footsteps were too light to be Lizzie's too. Blinking away the light, she smiled as she saw Marti's tousled head. Lately they had formed an even stronger bond because Marti seemed to have decided that she liked Casey as much as she liked her Smerek.

"Casey? Can I get in bed with you?" the little girl asked already trying to push down Casey's blanket and slide in next to her.

"Sure Marti. But why are you up this early? Its only…" she twisted so she could see the clock. Somehow Emily's hand was draped over it but she could just make out the number 7. "7am? Really Marti? I thought you were trying to be like your brother and sleep in late?" she spoke as the little girl mumbled in an already drowsy voice.

"But he's gone already and I wanted to snuggle with someone." As easy as that, Marti was fast asleep and curled up next to Casey. Casey was about to fall asleep again as well until Marti's words actually registered in her brain. _Derek awake? At 7 in the morning on a Sunday?_ That was completely unheard of in the Venturi-McDonald household. What was he doing this early anyway?

* * *

Derek grunted as he whizzed past teammates and checked whomever he felt like checking into the boards.

"Yo Derek! What's with you this morning? Did you have some Red Bull or something?" his best friend Sam asked as she swooshed to a stop in front of where Derek leaned casually against the plexi-glass, scanning the ice. Though Derek loved hockey at all times, he especially loved the Sunday morning games that he, Sam and some guys from school played every weekend. His eyes glinted as he spotted his target slowly skating around the ice warming up. "Hey, are you listening to me? We need to talk strategy before the game starts." Sam spoke trying to figure out where Derek's focus went. Sam, always the wiser one, sighed when he spotted Derek's target and tried to figure out if it was worth it. Sure, Derek always seemed to have some sort of vendetta for Max that wasn't exactly logical, but once Derek got that look in his eye, there was no talking to him.

"Let's get the game moving. I'm ready to crush these athlete wannabes" Derek spoke with a smirk. With a decisive click of his helmet on his head, he sped away to speak to the rest of their team. Sam could only nod as he watched members of the football team, including Max, lace up their skates. _It's just a game_ Sam repeated in his head over and over again as he glided over to his team.

"Okay guys, I really, really want to beat these guys. We are the varsity hockey team, are we going to let football players beat us? This is Canada for Christ's sake! We own this game!" Derek shouted trying to get his team pumped. Somehow seeing Max on the ice made Derek really want to check him into the boards. Maybe if he hit him hard enough he would knock some sense into Max's head. Really, who thought that they could be a football player and play hockey? Plus, he was dating _Casey_. That was reason enough to want to pummel him for being so stupid. _No one in their right mind dates Casey if they don't want to get stuck with some uptight, pissy, overbearing, know it all…_

"Derek? Man you sort of stopped talking and went into your own world dude. You okay?" Ralph said as he shook Derek's shoulder trying to snap him out of his daydream. Derek shook his head as he tried to shake images of Casey being _Casey_ out of his head. He snorted in disgust as he thought of her crying over Max **again. **

"Dude, he's doing it again. Do you think he has brain damage from too much hockey?" Ralph asked his team with genuine curiosity. Just as he was about to poke Derek's face, Derek roughly shoved Ralph's hand away and barked at his team to get ready to take the ice.

"What got into him?" Ralph whispered conspiratorially to Sam. Sam rolled his eyes as he left Ralph without an answer. _It's the same thing that always makes him mad: Casey and Max._ Sam thought as he joined the rest of his team on the ice. With the drop of a puck on the ice, the game began.

"Dude that was the best game ever! Did you see the looks on their faces as we scored a goal in the last second?" Derek was ecstatic. Beating the football team had been the cherry to his sundae, hell it was the cherry on top of his entire week. There was another round of cheering as the guys on his team celebrated their small victory. Derek decided that for the rest of the day, he was doing nothing but watching TV and forgetting the fact that he had homework. He was in such a good mood that maybe he'd be generous and ignore Casey for the day and take Marti out for ice cream. After taking a long, hot shower Derek was the only member of his team still left in the locker room. He thought that he was completely alone when he overheard two voices talking. Never one to not eavesdrop, Derek edged closer to the general area where he had heard voices talking.

"Dude it was so lame. I had finally gotten on top of her when she completely went frozen and just didn't respond at all. I think she even wanted to _talk_ instead." Voice number two laughed hysterically in response to the first voice's story. Come to think of it, that voice sounded a whole lot like Max. _Is Max cheating on Casey?_ Derek thought with a quick spark of anger.

"Stop laughing Mike. It's not funny that Angela gives you action all of the time and I have to practically force myself on Casey to get _anything_ at all from her." So they were talking about Casey and it was Max. Without realizing it, Derek's fists clenched and he imagined them colliding with Max's perfect nose. However, it being Derek, the humor in the situation was not lost on him. It was pretty funny that Max wasn't getting any from Casey because she was too stuck up and prude-ish to just make out with the poor guy. That must have been why Emily had come over last night all in a huff to talk to Casey. Even poor Sheldon gets some from Emily so she must have come over to help Casey do damage control or something. Laughing to himself, he listened as Max and his friend left the locker room. He quickly finished getting dressed and suddenly was even more excited to get home. He couldn't wait to make Casey squirm over this little tid-bit.

* * *

"Emily, so help me god, if you don't remove those diagrams from my face, I will actually consider getting violent. I don't think that Sheldon will appreciate it if I tear up his drawings." Casey almost added an "AHA!" when she saw how Emily squirmed at her accusation. She _knew_ that only Sheldon could have been creepy enough to draw that stuff. But then again, he was Emily's boyfriend so she could never actually voice these thoughts to Emily.

"Casey, you really do need to chillax about this whole thing." Casey only stared at her blankly. "I promise when you see Max tonight, you'll kiss him and it will all be okay. Maybe yesterday was a fluke."

"I know, I know. I just have to try to feel relaxed and maybe you know, even sexy tonight." God, something was wrong with her. She even felt weird about looking sexy for Max. What was wrong with her if she didn't want to look attractive for her boyfriend?

"Uagguughh. Em, something is seriously wrong with me. I'm either a lesbian or asexual. What girl doesn't want to look really hot for her quarterback boyfriend?" Groaning in frustration again, she fell backward with a plop onto her bed.

With a sigh, Emily stared at her best friend and wondered how someone so incredibly bright could be so incredibly stupid when it came to figuring out her own life. Casey could handle just about everything under the stars except for her own personal life and it was times like these that Emily just wanted to shake some sense into her. But it was much better to let Casey figure it out for herself. Didn't she realize that this probably meant she just wasn't as attracted to Max as she convinced herself she was? Screw it, she _had_ to say something to her. "Casey, did it ever occur to you that you are perfectly normal? I think the real problem here is that Max just isn't someone you want to make out with period. Plus from this, you seemed to have developed a weird fear of intimacy."

"What? Max is my boyfriend, why wouldn't I want to make out with him?" Casey looked genuinely confused so Emily figured she should go for the direct approach.

"Casey! I am going to say this one more time, you aren't make out deficient, you just don't like Max. Ergo, YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE OUT WITH HIM." Okay so maybe she didn't have to yell, but sometimes Casey really needed someone to be painfully honest with her. Maybe that's why Derek made Casey upset so much and so often. If there is one thing that Derek was good for, it was for giving Casey much needed reality checks. Moments later, Casey still wasn't responding to Emily's outburst and she looked like she was actually thinking really, really hard about what she had said. _Maybe this will help us make some progress_ Emily thought.

Suddenly both of their heads lifted as they heard a soft chuckle in the doorway. Derek stood watching them both and for some reason looked very amused. What worried Emily is that his amused expression was focused solely on Casey which most definitely meant that whatever funny thing he was thinking had something to do with her. Emily really didn't want to be around to hear another one of their epic fights.

* * *

"So… Casey. How have things been going with Max lately?" At the mention of Max's name, Casey visually paled and looked a little bit queasy. Emily knew that she should stick around to support her friend but she also knew that Casey would want to analyze whatever argument they were sure to have for hours later that night. It really was amazing that Casey got that heated up over Derek of all people. She really should be focusing all of that passion elsewhere. Elsewhere like her boyfriend's lips.

"Hey Casey? It looks like you and Derek need to talk so I'll just bail. You can call me later, okay?" With that, she left the room and moments later was safely inside her own home, away from the drama of the Venturi-McDonald household.

"What do you want Derek?" Casey spat contemptuously. She knew what he was angling at and she knew that boys talked. She was just angry that somehow it got back to Derek. Derek lived to torture her and was sure to hold this information over her head forever. "Whatever you have to say to me, I can tell you right now that I don't even want to hear it. You have no right to bug me like you do when you go around and sleep with anything that has blonde hair and boobs."

Derek bristled at her comment. Was she a mind reader now? And she always got so defensive before she even knew what he was going to say exactly. Never mind that she was actually right. He still had a point to make. "How do you know what I'm going to say? Jeez Case, you always jump to conclusions with me." He said the last part in a whimper. He could always make her feel guilty when he used this voice.

"Fine. Go ahead and speak." She said looking him in the eye to see if he was lying. He appeared to be sincere until he opened his mouth and actually spoke.

"Word on the street is that you won't let poor Max have some." _Smooth Derek, smooth._ He thought as he immediately realized that this was the **wrong** thing to say especially since her jaw dropped and she paled. It was never a good sign when Casey paled. He always felt guilty when she got like that. His stomach clenched a little at the idea that Casey could make him feel that way.

"Uggh. Why do I even give you chances to speak to me? You are absolutely the most uncaring and revolting individual I have ever had the displeasure of knowing." Casey had _almost_ never been this angry at Derek. It never ceased to amaze her how uncaring he could be towards her feelings. Couldn't he be nice to her instead of throwing the whole situation back in her face in such a casual manner? "It's like you like to see me upset and feeling stupid. Though that wouldn't surprise me."

Derek's stomach clenched even more at Casey's words. Sure he liked to make her mad, but he always felt really uncomfortable and generally _bad_ whenever Casey was really upset. That had to mean that he cared somehow, didn't it? "Hey, I'm not trying to make you upset, I'm simply stating what I heard. So stop blaming me and being more dramatic than usual." Again, that was a bad choice of words and Derek knew it. That odd clenching feeling in his stomach, that only Casey could make him feel, happened again.

When Derek didn't say anything else, Casey deflated. Everyone really did think that there was something wrong with her. It even got out enough for Derek to overhear (though she really didn't want to know exactly how it got out) which was ten times worse because he would hold it over her head forever. "So you think I'm defective too. I told Emily that I knew that this was a sign that I am going to become a cat lady." Her head was down and Derek saw that she was actually sad about this, not mad. He could deal with an angry Casey but not a sad Casey. When she raised her head to look him in the eyes, he saw the tears.

"Listen Case, I'm sorry. I didn't think that you would get this upset about the whole thing." He was stammering, he was sure of it but at this point, he just wanted her to be normal again so he could tease her.

"You know what, no. This is like a sign or something. I can't be with Max if I feel pressured like this. So I suck at being intimate with someone. I'd rather be alone than feel _lesser_." She looked up completely to look him in the eyes and added "I'm tired of feeling bad."

For one of the few times in his entire life, Derek had nothing to say. Normally he would have a smart-ass remark or some sort of awkward, pseudo comforting remark to give her, but this time he had nothing. He couldn't believe that Casey McDonald, super keener extraordinaire, had self esteem issues that were this bad. Bad enough to make her dislike intimacy, with the quarterback of their high school no less.

In that moment, it was like Derek wasn't Derek anymore. In that moment, all he wanted to do was make her feel better so they could go back to being normal and well, fighting again. In that moment, Derek made the rashest decision of his life.

"I'll help you."

Read and Review guys! Hope you like.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own anything and sadly I don't own the Chap Stick brand which is one of my favorite things in the world. le sigh.

"What do you mean you'll help me?" Casey asked with a genuine look of confusion on her face.

"You know," he shrugged uncomfortably "_help_ you" he scratched the back of his neck and tried to avoid Casey's eyes. WHY had he suggested that in the first place? It was like an unknown part of him had sprung up from deep inside (and he didn't even think that he had a deep inside) and made him say it. As Derek wondered what had made him want to help her, Casey realized that if she had been anyone else, she would think that he was trying to pick her up. Wait a minute…?

All of the sudden her jaw went slack and she found that she was unable to speak.

"Are you telling me, that you want to help me become better at kissing so that I'll be able to make out with my boyfriend, a guy that you hate, and make fun of me for dating?"

"Well when you put it like that, you make it seem so cheap."

Casey sighed. She still couldn't believe the crap that Derek was spewing to her. This had to be some sort of sick, karmic joke that the universe was playing on her. Either that or Derek REALLY hated her and wanted to make a complete fool out of her. She was tired of feeling so inadequate with the opposite sex and she had _told_ Derek that but now he was throwing it back in her face again. It wasn't fair and frankly, it wasn't nice.

"Look Derek, I understand that 99 percent of the time, I'm a huge joke to you, but I didn't think that I was this amusing to you. So if you don't mind, I would appreciate if you would just leave." This time it was Derek who gaped at Casey who turned her back to him as she resumed doing what he assumed was her homework. How dare she just assume that he was making fun of her when he wasn't? Leave it to Casey to not see the one time that he WASN'T kidding. Why wasn't he kidding anyway? Why did he want to help her so much? And how exactly did he plan to go about helping her? The obvious method was well…obvious…but then again there was the issue of him not being attracted to her and the fact that it was wrong. But as he watched her slouched over her homework completing god knows what assignment days ahead of time, Derek became frustrated with her for choosing to sit in the rut in her life. Leave it to Casey to _want_ to stick to what's safe. And damn her for having the nerve to look really attractive while looking nerdy and keenish.

In that moment, realizing that Casey was choosing "safe" really pissed Derek off. It pissed him off more than he had ever been towards her before. Even the time when she passed the driving test before he did. Though a little voice in the back of his head (that he never understood or listened to) told him that he was being irrational and not really making sense, Derek acted out, and gave Casey the surprise of her life.

* * *

He was really starting to bug her. She had turned her back SIGNIFYING that the conversation was over and that he should take the hint and leave, but did he take it? No. It's Derek, so of course he didn't. He just stood like a fool near her bed and breathed heavily like he was congested. Just when Casey was about to turn around and ask him if he needed a tissue or a map to figure his way out of the room, he surprised her by grabbing her under the arms and yanking her to her feet. Before she could speak, he shushed her by saying "just shut up for once and go with the flow" and silenced her with his lips.

For once in her life, Casey complied and just absorbed for a moment. The feel of his lips on hers was new and he seemed to be just as surprised as she until the warmth and taste spread and she felt that she could no longer keep her eyes open. When Derek noticed this change, his heart sped up and he pulled her closer so that the lines of her body molded to his. He was almost worried about the kiss overall until he felt a tiny flutter of movement against his lips. Then he realized, _she's kissing back!_ And decided that it was time to change the tempo of the kiss.

Casey sucked in a breath as she felt Derek shift against her and pull her down onto his lap on her bed. Since when had they moved from her desk? And since when had her arms moved around to grip his shoulders? Though she knew she shouldn't be thinking at all, Casey couldn't help but notice that kissing Derek was completely different from kissing Max or anyone else for that matter. He was gentle and rough at the same time and it was completely fitting of his personality. Then again, if this was truly Derek, then this sweetness of kissing was sure to end badly somehow.

* * *

He was really starting to enjoy himself when Casey tugged her kissable lips from his. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to pout because he really felt like a little kid who had just had candy taken away from him. He wanted his candy back. "Come on Casey, what gives?"

"Derek!" he winced as he heard her familiar screech in close proximity. She was still sitting on his lap and he had neglected to put distance between them as a safety precaution. He decided to settle for staring at her flushed cheeks and cleavage as she yelled at him from his lap. "Are you listening to me? Derek! My eyes are… for the love of God!" she yanked his chin up from where he was contentedly admiring her chest.

"You were saying?" he drawled in typical, lazy Derek fashion. He really didn't see the problem with this like she did. Who knew she was such a good kisser? Who knew that he would unexpectedly think she was so hot? He had always thought that she was somewhat attractive but her ability to annoy the hell out of him had always over powered that feeling… until now. Now she just annoyed him but he knew he could shut her up by kissing her.

"We don't like each other Derek! And we're step siblings with very impressionable siblings down the hall. This just reeks of trouble and more trouble Derek. And did I mention how irresponsible this issmpphmmmm." Derek cut off her last word with his lips and fulfilled the idea that had been buzzing around in his brain. Yep, he could definitely shut her up with his lips now. It was a very good plan.

Casey couldn't think. She was thinking obviously, but she was thinking about how she couldn't think. His lips were so soft. After all of the junk that spewed out of them on a daily basis, he had the softest lips imaginable for a boy. Did he use Chap Stick a lot? Derek groaned then and startled her as he pulled her even closer to him so that he could wrap his arms around her completely. _Mmmm_ _this feels good_ she thought as he pseudo hugged her while nibbling on her lips and begging entrance into her mouth. When Casey didn't comply like anyone else normally would, Derek began to get a little frustrated. Her eyes were half closed and she seemed to be out of it as she let him do whatever and continued to meet his mouth in simple, eager kisses. Then he remembered that this was Casey he was dealing with. The whole reason he started "helping" her was because she wasn't doing such a good job at the whole making out thing with Max. Derek remembered, then groaned, _Shit, Max._

* * *

"Casey, we need to talk." Casey's eyes snapped opened at Derek's words. Since when did he want to talk? The warm fuzziness that had filled her mind like cotton disappeared and she suddenly felt cold even though their bodies were still closely meshed together. "We need to discuss the terms of this arrangement and the transaction that will occur." Did he really need to make it seem like such a business deal and like something that had to do with money? To make matters worse, in a twisted, humorous sort of way, he made the whole event sound vaguely like a prostitution deal.

"This isn't a prostitution deal, Derek." Casey snorted when Derek's cheeks slightly flushed.

"That's not what I meant. I just meant that we need to have clear guidelines because you have a boyfriend and I have my… well you know. Prospects."

"That's what you call your sluts? You call them your prospects? That's even more degrading than usual for you."

"Can you please stop insulting me for 5 minutes so I can actually talk? I'm trying to actually be responsible in this really twisted situation because up until a half hour ago, I never ever, ever, ever would have dreamed of placing my lips anywhere near yours, much less be offering to help make your "skills" better."

"Oh, that's really sweet coming from the boy who didn't seem to mind making out with me 5 minutes ago."

"Okay, can we not argue? For some crazy reason, I _don't_ mind even though you still have the power to frustrate the hell out of me. But at least now we know we have one thing we can do together that's fun. And plus, you need the practice if you want to actually impress Maxi-Pad." Casey inserted a protest at Derek's name for her boyfriend but let him continue to speak when he covered her mouth with his hand. "Back to the ground rules: Number 1. Nothing about our relationship changes, we still fight, we still hate each other, etc. Number 2. No telling anyone! You cannot tell your little gal pal Emily. I do not want her stalking me even more than she already does."

"Get over yourself Derek, she has Sheldon. And I agree to the rules. Why would I want to break either of them? It's not like I want to get along with you either."

Derek held out his hand awkwardly to seal the deal not knowing what the protocol was in these situations. "Good."

"Good" She shook back. What had she just done? More importantly, what did all of this mean!?

* * *

Okay so that was kind of a suck-y update, but that chapter was more of a transition chapter since I now know where I want this story to go exactly. So enjoy and review, review, review! I should have the next update up really soon because I am going to buckle down and start to draft it up now. Hopefully you guys like where this is going so far.

Thanks, Facts vs. Romance 3


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Don't own anything (sadly).

* * *

Casey frowned when she felt a familiar push in her seat from behind her. It had been happening all morning and she was starting to get annoyed. In every class that she had with Derek, he had decided to sit behind her as much as he could just to bug her by either pushing her seat closer to her desk or knocking her hand askew as she wrote her notes in class. He could actually be putting his time to use and pay attention in class. Instead he was putting his energy into drawing up hockey plays (she knew because she saw this every time she turned around to glare at him for nudging her), flirting with the girls around him and occasionally snoozing through lectures. It annoyed her how she had to work so hard to get the grades that she earned when he could easily have the same grades as her if he only applied himself. He just didn't want to. And he said that _she_ was the challenged one. She laughed to herself as she thought about Derek thinking that he was better than she was. As she chuckled to herself again, Casey didn't notice as their Psychology teacher came over to tap her on the shoulder.

"Ms. McDonald? Do you have something that you would like to share with the class?"

Startled, Casey jumped in her seat and flushed before shaking her head no.

"No? Then perhaps you will explain the functions of the Pituitary Gland to the rest of the class?"

Having no other choice but to nod her head yes, Casey explained the functions of the Pituitary Gland to the rest of her bored classmates. She may not be able to figure out Derek and what happens in his mind on a daily basis, but she could always be able to understand the old, reliable pituitary gland.

* * *

Leave it to Casey to turn a simple explanation into a five minute speech on the functions of some gland their teacher had called on her to talk about. He hadn't been paying attention because he had been torn between talking to Cindy-what's-her-face beside him and kicking Casey in the butt while also drawing up a hockey play in his notebook. Then all of the sudden Casey was facing the rest of the class babbling about some gland that they had supposedly learned about awhile ago. What was it called? Pituilary? Pituitary Gland? Either way, he was torn between feeling embarrassed that he had made out with the super keener standing before them all and also thinking that she was one of the most humorous people that he knew.

Finally their teacher politely yet firmly said 'thank you' and asked Casey to sit down (she had stood up at some point during her explanation to better face the class and make her point) so that they could continue on like before. Once Casey was seated, Derek went back to nudging her occasionally in the butt. It was funny to see her get all bothered by the simple gesture. As if one nudge was going to completely throw off her note taking for that period and ruin her learning for that _entire_ day. There was also the added bonus that she turned around and gave him a huffy glare if he kicked her enough and that was entertainment in itself to see her scrunched up face before her braid whipped back around as she resumed her diligent note taking.

Maybe he could catch her as the bells rang and jibe her a little bit about her great Pituitary Gland speech. That would give him something to be entertained by next period when he didn't have class with her. He did have class with Cindy-what's-her-face and if _she_ tried to sit by him and talk to him again, he was going to plug his ears with cotton. Her attempts at wittiness were failing and she wasn't interesting unless they were somewhere dark like the movie theatres which was frankly the place that he liked her best. He was a horrible person, he knew.

As the bell rang, he saw Casey drop her 'oh my god I can't live without this planner' organizer and bent to pick it up before following her down the hallway to wherever she was rushing off to. The organizer was very Casey-like with polka dots and hearts on the plastic outside cover. As he casually walked through the halls, he leafed through it and glanced over Casey's neat and loopy handwriting. Though it was weird and he would never admit it to anyone, he had always liked Casey's handwriting.

He had noticed it when she would leave notes for the entire family around the house like reminders to pick up milk or order dinner. She would always write on colorful post-it notes and in various colors of ink. And her handwriting was always so loopy while still retaining Casey's personality with her neatness. Sue him for noticing things like that. His own handwriting was horrendous and personally, he thought it was fitting of his slob-ish behavior.

He continued to leaf through pages until he got to recent days and noticed that she had different notes written down for this coming weekend on both Friday and Saturday. Friday she had Max written down with a heart drawn around it and Derek's game written in on Saturday's slot. Friday night was Max's last football game as a senior in high school and Saturday was Varsity hockey's season opening game. Derek couldn't help but feel a little bit excited that she was coming to his game or had at least written it down in her planner. She must be planning to go if it was written down because Casey didn't' do anything without consulting her planner first and lived by it religiously.

Before he could find her, the bell rang and Derek had to get to class. He smirked as he turned in the opposite direction towards his class. She would just have to live without her precious organizer for one whole period. He wondered how much she would freak out until she got it back.

* * *

Casey was internally freaking and trying to keep it from becoming external. She could not, repeat **could not** have lost her organizer. On most days, between dealing with schoolwork, the pressures of dating Max and the pressures of being tortured by Derek, that organizer was one of the only things besides Emily that kept her sane. The last time she had it was in Psychology and then all of the sudden it had vanished. She had probably left it there and would have to backtrack and retrieve it after her Biology class was over. Hopefully no one had looked through it or thrown it away or anything. Then she'd really be screwed.

"_Casey!_" Sheldon hissed from across the aisle. "_Stop having such a forlorn look on your face! Emily's jabbing me and asking me to find out what's wrong!"_ Casey leaned back in her seat to look past Sheldon to Emily and give her the thumbs up sign. She then turned back to the board and tried really hard not to think about her little organizer all alone in the world without anyone to protect it. Some stupid freshman was probably abusing it and all she would find left was tattered pages and promises of organization and burden free days. She sighed again forlornly while Sheldon and Emily gave each other worried looks again.

"Casey!" Now where could her planner have gone off? Oh yes, Psychology classroom.

"Casey! Jesus woman you walk fast!" Emily puffed as she tried to keep up with a fast walking Casey. She was on a mission to rescue her poor little organizer.

"Where are you going so fast? In case you haven't noticed in the three-ish years you've been going here, the cafeteria is that way. You know, the general area where Sheldon is currently waving like a lunatic to us." Emily couldn't help but stare a minute at her boyfriend before running off after a still distracted Casey.

"FREEZE woman! Tell me where you are going!"

"I lost my organizer and I need to find it. You didn't by chance see it or pick it up by accident did you?!" Casey was nearly in hysterics. She needed that organizer, damn it.

"Err… it wouldn't so happen to be the organizer that you always have on you would it?" When Casey gave her a 'duh!' face and kept walking, Emily called out, "well, it wouldn't be the one that Derek is currently holding, is it?" _This is sure to end badly_ Emily thought badly before taking a few steps back wards and trying to step in front of Derek before Casey could get to him first. She hadn't completely spotted him yet in the crowded hallway, but it was only a matter of time. Casey had eyes like laser beams when it came to matters like this.

* * *

"YOU!" Casey shrilled. Oh great, she had noticed.

"If you are as smart as I think you are Derek, you'll either give me that planner right now, or you'll run." Emily stated to a very bewildered Derek.

"But I was trying to find her to…oh hi Casey…" For the first time in Emily's life, she was witnessing Derek looking very, very frightened. And surprisingly, it was because of Casey McDonald. Who knew?

"Casey, this isn't what it seems. You just need to be rational and listen for a minute." Derek knew he was talking out of his ass, anything to get the rage out of her eyes at whatever it was she thought he did. All he knew was that one minute he was looking for her so that he could finally give her back the organizer (he had made her sweat enough) and the next thing he knew, she was looking like a bat out of hell. He wasn't sure what he did but he assumed it was because of the planner.

"I didn't take it, I swear! Well not technically…" Okay so this wasn't helping his case and she was still glaring at him like he had just done the worst thing imaginable. Except to Casey, this _was_ one of the worst things imaginable. He groaned, he wasn't going to win either way. She was so pissy looking.

"Are you going to let me explain, or are you going to glare at me and throw a hissy fit?" When she didn't reply except to snatch her planner back from him and then look at him expectantly with a 'well?' look on her face he took that as a sign that the princess had deemed it acceptable for the peasant to speak.

"Okay, so I found your stupid organizer on the floor after Psych class and picked it up. I know you can't live, breathe or function without that organizer so I tried to find you in the hallway to give it back. But you walk so fast that I couldn't find you and I had to go to my own class. You survived one period without it and have it back now safe and sound. End of story, Derek saved the day. The end." He embellished the ending with a bow and dipped an imaginary hat towards her to see if she was up to smiling yet. When he saw her smile he relaxed a little until going completely stiff again as her arms found their way around his middle.

"Hey! Casey, I DON'T do hugging. Get OFF." She rolled her eyes at him as he tried to get away from her hug in public.

"What_ever_ Derek. Thanks for my organizer." She said before winking at him and turning to walk off to lunch with Emily and Sheldon.

Did she just wink at him? Did he just think that it cute that dorky Casey just winked at him?

* * *

Later that evening Casey was almost wishing that she didn't have her organizer back just yet. Having her organizer there reminded her constantly that she had to do an essay for French and finish her Calculus homework. It was already 9pm, which meant that it would be another late night for her. On nights like this, she really wanted to go back in time and kick herself for thinking that she could handle 2 extra subjects as a senior in high school when she planned her schedule in the summer. As she suppressed a yawn, she tried to pep herself up by repeating _I don't need sleep_ over and over again in her head. This failed however as she yawned in the middle of her mantra and fell forward, face first, onto her desk.

"Uh, Case? You okay? You're acting even more spacey than usual, which is odd." Derek appeared in her doorway in his pajamas, presumably to bug her. "You know, Max called earlier twice but no one could rouse you from your zone. Marti even came in your room yelling twice and you barely even glanced at her."

Casey mumbled something from her position face down on her desk. She could feel the wood of her desk aligning with her face and the coolness was starting to feel really good against her pounding headache. She hadn't realized that she had such a bad migraine until that moment.

"Derek, if you're going to bug me, can you wait until tomorrow, I have a lot of work and I have a bad headache." Derek's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. She never usually gave up this easily. She must be really exhausted.

"Come here" he said sitting down on her bed.

"What?" she mumbled again from the desk. Maybe she would just fall asleep here. It really was comfortable if she forgot about the position her neck was in.

"Casey, you'll break your neck that way, come here for a minute and take a quick break." He rose up to his feet again and pulled her away from the desk over to a sitting position on her bed. Then he began to knead the muscles in her shoulders, neck and upper back. She stiffened before relaxing and sighing happily. As he loosened a particularly stiff knot in her neck, she moaned softly and let her head fall forward. It was all Derek could do not to replace his hands with his lips instead. Now wasn't really the time even though he really, really wanted to kiss her all of the sudden.

"You're really good at this. Did you go to massage school or something?" Casey joked as Derek moved away from her neck and back into her shoulders.

"No, I just kind of picked it up from hockey and having the trainers work on me after games and stuff. Plus," he smirked though she couldn't see, "it comes in handy for times like these."

"Or for when you want to give a 'massage' to one of your 'special friends'" she said in reply.

"Mmhmmm, this is handy in those times too, Case." Silence ensued as Derek's hands worked their magic and Casey let herself relax for the first time in hours. It was a while before either of them spoke.

"Oh, so why were you kicking me in class all day? It was really annoying all day."

"You're fun to bug Case. Haven't you figured that out yet?"

"So really this means: 'I can't be nice to you for more than 10 minutes at a time'"

"Pretty much, your 10 minutes are up in 30 seconds. Just a friendly warning." His hands slowed and moved to play with the end of her long braid instead.

"Oh yeah? What happens then? Should I take cover? Duck and hide?" She smirked at their playful banter. She liked when they were like this instead of the normal biting tone their banter usually had.

"More like proceed with caution." He smirked before taking her lips in a fervent kiss. He pulled her close as their tongues met and entwined themselves. Before Casey could grasp what was happening, she felt herself falling forward as Derek fell backward onto her bed letting out an 'oomph' into her mouth. She giggled making him smile and break from her lips as he turned his attention instead to her neck. Unlike Max, Derek didn't bite down painfully in a 'I'm gonna mark you' sort of way. Instead he trailed slow kissed from her collarbone up to behind her ear where he seemed to be enjoying her earlobe. He couldn't help but laugh into her skin as she pressed herself closer to him to allow him better access.

"Derek" she panted and shifted to kiss his neck.

"Hmmmm?" he mumbled from his ministrations in her neck. He was very, very occupied.

"Maybe we should, you know, stop." When he didn't respond and only seemed to still be fascinated by her earlobe, she moved again and bit down on his earlobe instead.

"Will that make you stop?" she laughed. He groaned and nuzzled her neck.

"Not really. It was kind of hot."

"Come on, seriously, we have to stop. I'm pretty sure that's all the 'practice' I need for one night. It's definitely all the practice I can take." She mumbled as an afterthought.

Derek smiled cockily.

"Can't take the heat McDonald?"

"Oh just get off me, Venturi." She groaned and shoved at him.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm going, I'm going. But don't forget that you'll miss my sexiness when you are shriveled up in bed all alone tonight." He smirked before she could hit him with a pillow on his way out.

With her door shut and locked, Casey found that she no longer had a headache or any little aches at all. On the other side of the door, Derek smiled to himself as he heard Casey's computer chair squeak and her fingers move on the keyboard. _So her headache went away after all._

* * *

Please review guys! Reviews let me know that people are actually reading this story and motivate me to write more (like what I'm doing at 2am right now :D ) So review, review, review! It means so much to me!!


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, nor will I ever.

* * *

"So what do I wear tonight, Em?" Casey asked while holding up a top to her chest and balancing the phone up to her ear.

"Who cares! Just wear that short, denim skirt that shows off your legs and a sweater because it's a football game. Definitely go with the skirt though. You need your hunky quarterback boyfriend to be able to see your legs from the field." Casey sighed as she weighed her options. Did she really want him to be ogling her the whole night while she froze her butt off? Especially at a football game that she didn't even understand.

"Err.. I'd prefer not to. I took the liberty of checking the weather report earlier and it's supposed to be about 40 degrees tonight after 8pm…" Casey trailed off as Derek entered her room without knocking, as usual.

"Of course the super keener checked the weather report. It's fall Spacey. Wear something fit for fall weather." He rolled his eyes at her as he lay back against her pillows. He watched as Casey seemed to be listening some more to what Emily was saying and held more tops up to her chin. Though she seemed dead set against the jean skirt, he had to admit, it looked really good on her and the fact that he was quick to admit it made him uncomfortable. But hey, they had been doing a lot more than just looking at each other lately and that was more than okay. Content, he watched her say something else he wasn't really listening to and then hang up the phone.

"I'm going to freeze, but okay, I'll sacrifice my health for his hormones." After some more fashion questions and girl talk, Casey and Emily established a meeting time and parted ways.

When she hung up the phone, she turned around with her hands on her hips and a no-nonsense look on her face. "What do you want, Derek?"

He held up his hands in surrender. "Nothing! Can't I just come in to see you? See what's new with my favorite step-sister?"

"Listen Derek, I don't have any money and I definitely don't have time for what I think you are in the mood to do, especially since I don't need my guilty conscience bugging me..what are you doing?" she asked as he got up off the bed and stood in front of her.

"You talk so much." He said smirking and raising his hands to rest on his shoulders.

"No, don't even think about it. Derek! You are you! And I am… well, I have Max and this is completely immoral of us! Now leave. I need to get dressed." She peeled his hands from her shoulders and shooed his reluctant self out of the door. The only thing she heard outside of the door was a playful "_need help?"_ She groaned.

* * *

Two hours later Casey was shivering and really regretting her choice in clothing. She knew she should have worn jeans and thick, thick socks with boots but Max was dating a girl, not a mountain man. And their team was losing so Casey was trying really hard to look cute and put her best, frozen self forward and cheer a lot while smiling. Even Emily was surprised at her overwhelming amount of chipperness.

"What's with you? You're kind of scaring me with this new found love of high school football games. Did Derek give you something to drink before the game? Something that might have tasted strange to you at the time?"

"Emily! Derek did not give me a spiked drink. I'm merely trying to show support for my boyfriend, okay? Now come with me for some hot chocolate and people watching." She really wanted to see if any new interesting couples were to be spotted by the drink line. Besides, it's not like she could handle watching anymore football. Even when she tried to get Max's attention he gave her a half-hearted wave and then immediately went back to planning plays with his team. He wouldn't notice if she was watching anyway so she might as well go get something warm to drink.

"Ooooh. I wonder if we'll see Derek. I haven't updated anything about his status in my book lately and his dating status needs to be re-evaluated. He's been suspiciously low key lately. Must mean he's been up to something." With another tug, Casey pulled Emily the rest of the way down the bleachers and towards the concession stand. She really hoped that Emily couldn't see her blushing face.

* * *

She had been doing all sorts of un-Casey like things the whole night. At this point, it was starting to irritate him, a lot. Not only was she wearing that distracting little skirt that she was obviously freezing in, but she had been extremely enthusiastic about football the whole night. Every time she stood up to cheer he wanted to march over and remind her that she hated football and barely understood what was going on. At least she understood hockey and wasn't faking it when she cheered. She _was_ faking it right? He couldn't even go over and tell her to stop acting like all the other cheerleaders, because in the car, she had specifically told him to stay away from her the entire game and that afterwards she was doing something with Max. He still didn't understand why she had to get so snooty with him. All he had done, after being nice and offering to give her and Emily a ride to the game, was tell her that she shouldn't go around forcing the world to look at that much of her revealed skin. He had earned a punch in the arm while he was driving for that one but it _was_ partly true. Her skirt was entirely too short to be wearing around football players.

"Man, I had forgotten how much they suck!" Sam chuckled to himself beside Derek. "At least we know we'll win tomorrow night at our game. It's their last game and they didn't even score one touchdown!" Sam laughed again like this was the funniest thing in the world. Derek managed a smirk as he thought about how upset Max would be that they lost their last football game of the season. The smirk quickly disappeared as he realized that Casey would be the one who be comforting him later and that he now knew how "comforting" Casey could be.

He watched her and Emily laugh about something and then wave at Max who was resting on the sidelines. Max raised his hand in a greeting but went back to discussing plays with his teammates and Casey looked less than satisfied. Suddenly Casey and Emily were gone from where they had previously been sitting doing god knows what.

Either way, he was going to make sure she didn't embarrass herself. It was Casey which means she was bound to do something really stupid and damaging to her already fragile reputation. Derek comforted himself with the thought that him looking out for her had everything to do with their little agreement. He was helping her out now so this counted too, right?

"Derek? You okay man? You're glaring at the grass really hard…" Sam shook his shoulder. Sam squinted to see what Derek was really glaring at. _Figures, it's Max. Wonder what he did wrong this time? _

"Hm? Yeah, I'm cool. I'm just thinking about our game tomorrow, going over plays in my head."

"Damn, did you see that tackle? Max is going to be so sore tonight." Sam nudged Derek jokingly in the ribs "I bet he's going to really need Casey to make him feel better, right man?" he said jokingly.

Derek was not amused. "Yeah, sure. I'm crazy thirsty. Wanna go get something to drink?"

Before Sam could even answer, Derek was dragging him down the bleachers into the crowds.

* * *

"So then Sheldon and I stayed up late watching movies and there was this one where the vampires…" Casey wasn't really listening to what Emily was saying. She loved Emily to death, but sometimes it was just soothing to know that she was just there talking and that she didn't have to actually listen. She also suspected that sometimes Emily knew this. _Hot chocolate_ _or Tea?_ Casey wondered as they waited in line and Emily babbled about some sort of scary movie she had seen on her last date with Sheldon.

She wondered why she and Max never did anything normal like that. You know like the cute scenes from movies where the guy and the girl watched a scary movie just to make fun of it or just so that they had an excuse to sit close to each other. Instead if they watched a scary movie, Max usually found that as a weird excuse for background noise and just wanted to make out. Whatever, they were dating. That's what all couples did, _right?_

"Oh Casey, there's Derek!" Emily pointed as they turned and saw Derek and Sam loitering towards the end of the line. When Derek's gaze landed on her, she narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, practically growling when he tugged on Sam's arm and brought him up to where she and Emily were standing in line.

"How's my favorite step-sister this lovely evening?" Derek asked as he gave her a shoulder bump in greeting.

"Don't even think about cutting all of those people in line Derek. And no, I will not loan you money." Casey said turning her head defiantly away from Derek and pretending like he wasn't there at all.

"Ma'am, can I take your order?" Crap, she hadn't decided yet because she had been daydreaming and the Derek had shown up and disrupted her train of thought.

"She'll have a hot chocolate with whipped cream. Emily, do you want something?" Derek said as he suddenly stepped up to both Casey and Emily in line and slightly pushed Casey behind him so that he could pay. Once Casey could process that Derek was actually doing something resembling _nice_ for once in his life, she regained her senses.

"What are you doing here?" She asked as he handed her the steaming drink. Both Emily and Sam exchanged pleasantries in the background and looked on their exchange amusedly.

"What do you think they're about to fight about?" Sam asked Emily conversationally.

"Hmm, my money's on the fact that Derek has been too nice lately and Casey will pick a fight just to fight. Then Derek will fight back because it's Casey and well, that's what they do." She said while stealing one of his fries and scanning the crowds. She wasn't very interested in Derek and Casey anymore. She was just wondering when everyone else was going to get smarter and realize that Casey and Max were awful for each other and that Casey and Derek were all but completely absorbed with each other. For some reason, it hadn't really dawned on her until a couple of weeks ago when Casey had all of the sudden decided that she was a bad kisser and that Max was pressuring her too much. Sure Max was pushing her to do stuff, but that was sort of normal considering he was her boyfriend and a very hormonal, teenage boy. This bothered Casey yet it never bothered Casey _in the same way_ when Derek pushed her on almost every other emotional level. In fact, she seemed to feed off of it in a way.

When Emily realized this, it was then that she started to notice all of the different sparks between them that she hadn't paid attention to before. Maybe Sam was starting to notice it too. Derek and Casey had some major unresolved tension issues to be worked out. She decided to tune back into their conversation.

"Remind me again why you decided to come over here and ruin my evening?" Casey asked huffily.

"Ruin your evening? I drove you and Emily here, bought you a freaking hot chocolate and only asked if you were cold and you.."

"De-rek! You did not simply ask if I was cold! You _snidely_ asked if it was 'cold being a slut this time of year.'"

"Well it's not my fault that your skirt is actually shorter than the cheerleader's skirts, and that's an accomplishment Spacey."

"Oh and I'm sure you would know. From close inspection of their skirts right?"

"Once a skirt chasing cad, always a skirt chasing cad." He said while smirking.

Emily decided that now would probably be a good time to step in and end the argument. She didn't understand where the argument was stemming from or why but she could tell that Casey was about to pour the _hot_ chocolate down Derek's shirt in a few seconds. "Get Derek away from her" she whispered to Sam before grabbing Casey and heading in the opposite direction.

She felt like she was dealing with a spitting cat as Casey complained about Derek's "audacity" and "rudeness" the entire walk back to the bleachers. The only thing that finally shut her up was when Max finally scored a touchdown, the sound of screaming all around them droned out the sound of her complaining and temporarily distracted her from the name "Derek."

* * *

"Good job babe! You finally scored one in the end!" Casey forced enthusiasm. If she had been honest with herself earlier in the evening, she would have just gone home with Emily and gone straight to bed. She was cold, she was tired, and she had a headache from all of the evening's events. But she had promised Max that they would hang out after the game and celebrate the last game with his team.

"Hey babe. You look outrageously good tonight. A bunch of us are thinking about going to Frankie's. Are you down?" He looked at her expectantly. If he was looking at her that way, then why was he even bothering to ask?

"Sure, why not?" Was the only reply she could think of as she really just wished he would take her somewhere warm. Anywhere, even Frankie's would do at this point.

"Okay, well in that case, just let me go take care of something, okay?" Max said leaving Casey nodding and waiting as she watched people steadily file out of the stadium. A few people waved to her that she recognized from classes as well as people that she knew were friends with Derek. Speaking of Derek, where was he? Normally he made one more appearance to bug her before an evening could officially be over and it seemed as if he was nowhere to be found. Looking at her watch, Casey saw that 15 minutes had already passed.

"Where is he?" she asked, mumbling to herself. Not being very patient, she decided to go look for him and see if she could hurry along her quest for warmth. Recognizing some of his football friends from afar, she saw a few of them standing underneath of the bleachers off to the side of the stadium. Once she saw Max's familiar head of dark hair, she felt hopeful again that maybe soon she could be warm. Then she saw the light flicker and a little spark as the boys all seemed to be crowding around something. _Oh HELL no._

* * *

She was about to do something really stupid. He could feel it. She was pretty easy to read and judging from the way that she just tensed and balled her little hands into fists like that, she was about to go full on Crusader Casey on their asses. Part of him really wanted to sit back, relax, and enjoy the humorous show, but the other part knew better. If they were doing what he thought- scratch that, KNEW they were doing, all of those guys, including Max were not in their right minds. And having an angry girl scold them was not going to go over well with them. Not to mention, it was mortifying for both of them. After all, he still had to be associated with her. When he saw her start to stride over to them in that determined way of hers, he decided to step in.

"Max!" Casey yelled as she stepped underneath a metal bar and into the bleacher area. "This is what you've been doing while I've been waiting for you, freezing?" she asked him while he left the pot still smoking in his hand. All of his stoned friends let out giggling "ooohhhhhssss" and "you're in troubleeeee!"

"Huh?" Was the only response she got from him before he shook his head, realized it was Casey and then tried to pull her into a tight hug. "Let's go out to dinner now. I'm really hungry okay?" He said while still hugging her and making no attempt to move anywhere. Casey squirmed as Max held on tightly to her and mumbled into her hair. She knew that he was still holding onto the Pot and not only was she terrified that he would accidentally light her hair on fire, but she really didn't want to go home reeking of pot. And to think, all of this just because her idiot boyfriend felt like getting stoned, and then giving her a big, bear hug.

"Okay Max, time to let go!" Casey tried using her best kindergartner teacher voice hoping that he would understand her better then.

"_Casey?_" She heard a voice ask from behind her in disbelief. She groaned, she knew that voice. And he was never, ever going to let her live this relationship detail down.

"I thought that you were going to scold him in your prissy princess voice and I find you hugging him. What kind of keener are you?" he grumbled as he climbed down underneath the bleachers to where everyone was standing. A few people managed greetings to Derek but for the most part, everyone else was too stoned to notice.

"You owe me." Was all that he said as he walked over to Max, took the pot from his hand and stamped it out beneath his foot and away from Casey's hair. Max, who was too high to notice really only managed a "what gives?" before slumping down backwards onto a bench when Derek pushed past him. Derek then gave a sarcastic wave to the rest of the stoned group and dragged a very speechless Casey out from underneath the bleachers.

"You would get into trouble wouldn't you?" He asked once they were finally inside the warm car. Casey sighed appreciatively at the heat before sending a frown Derek's way.

"I was fine, Derek. I was in the middle of convincing him to let me go when you barged in and practically stole me."

"So you're a piece of property now? Isn't that contradicting what you are always preaching to me? About how women are not pieces of meat or property to be traded, yada, yada, yada? And for someone so smart, you are pretty stupid. When you marched over to break up the 'drug den' did you ever think about what would have happened if the police had caught you with them? Especially on school property?"

Suddenly Casey felt very stupid. And it was the kind of stupid that she didn't like to feel because it was the stupid that only Derek could make her feel. As they continued to drive home in silence _with only Derek's crappy rock music on_ in the background, Casey realized that Derek had been making her feel stupid a lot lately.

"Well I didn't get caught. So I have you to thank for that, I guess. But I still would have been fine even if you hadn't shown up Venturi."

"Whatever you say Princess."

* * *

A.N: Okay, sorry it took me so long to update. I've been writing this chapter a little bit at a time every night because I have been so busy working, interning and finishing school since I'm about to graduate! I'm dead tired all of the time so I've been trying to set aside time so that I have "me" time to write but some days that just doesn't happen :D Anyway, review please!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own nada.

Part 1

Derek cringed; even he hadn't heard her voice reach decibels like that before. She was ranting and raving about how embarrassed she'd been and he had **no** idea what she was talking about anymore.

It had started when they had gotten in late, past curfew of course because she just had to go and get herself involved with a stoned Max. So when they had to sneak in, because of her inability to find a decent boyfriend for once, she of course turned klutzilla on like a switch and crashes into their mother's favorite vase. Then he'd had no choice but to yell at her (in a whisper of course) which had only made her cry instead of yell at him like she normally would have done. Why the hell that happened, he had no idea. What mattered now is that Casey, or rather the exorcist-princess, as he had taken to calling her that morning, had woken up with fire in her eyes. She was absolutely angry with him and was hell bent on making him miserable and suffer for something he wasn't sure he did.

As he heard another door slam, he tensed again. The little withering glares, slamming of doors and hisses whenever he entered a room she was in were really starting to piss him off. Why was this different from all of the other times he was a jerk to her?

* * *

She knew she was supposed to be the mature one in their kindergartner- like relationship but after last night and his general condescension towards her, she couldn't help it. There he was, actually looking out for her for once and dare she say it… rescuing her from potential disaster with police and marijuana? And on the way home they had actually been having a good time. She blushed, aside from the times they had spent_ practicing_ with each other, that is. But then of course, Derek had gone and ruined the nice moment between them. They were in the midst of sneaking in, and he had leaned in to tell her to watch her step as they entered the house. Having his voice so close to her ear had surprised her, especially the hot gust of air on her neck from his voice. So even though he had remained unaffected as always, she had felt the klutzilla unleash inside of her and an "oh no" pass in her head before she went stumbling into the house.

But still, he had known her for three years! Didn't he understand the clumsy side of her yet? Was it really necessary for him to yell at her so much when the vase fell? She wasn't that stupid and innocent; she would make up some sort of lie that her mom would buy over how it was all a big accident that occurred the night before. Instead of letting her explain, he had seemed determined to yell at her and be frustrated with her, like she was a huge, idiot burden.

That morning when she woke up, she felt stupid for crying over yet another boy. What was her count up to at this point? She didn't even want to know, especially where Derek Venturi's tally's stood. This all brought her back to her current angry mood in which she generally hated men, including poor Sheldon who tried to offer her chocolate before realizing that her anger wasn't about her period. As Casey ranted and raved about how men _always_ assume women are mad because of their periods, Emily pushed him away to safety.

"It's the thought that counts Shel." She tried to convince him while soothingly rubbing his back.

* * *

Meanwhile, Derek smirked and thought "better him than me" before continuing to half-listen to the blonde hanging off of his arm as he stood watching from the other side of the room.

Several hours later, Casey was experiencing a personality change 180 and enjoying herself immensely as she watched Derek get smashed into the boards repeatedly at the hockey game. Their little game of ignoring each other and Casey sending him heated glares continued all afternoon until George had announced that they were all going to Derek's hockey game that evening as family bonding. Initially, Casey had been less than thrilled and had made this evident until Derek had snapped and quote told her to "shut the hell up" before stomping up to his room to get ready for his game. Her mood had brightened considerably when Derek had finally stepped out onto the ice and proceeded to play like shit.

"I don't know what the hell's wrong with him" George muttered as they watched Derek get slammed again into the glass.

"Dad swore!" Marti gleefully cried as she bounced in her seat next to Casey excitedly. Leaning in close again she whispered conspiratorially to Casey: "What do you think is wrong with Smerek? He's been really upset since last night and now he sucks!"

Casey looked down at Marti in surprise. Since when did Marti sound so observant and well, old? And since when did Derek suck at hockey?

"No idea" was the only thing Casey could think of in reply to Marti's question. She muffled laughter again as Derek was pulled off of the ice for high sticking and put into the penalty box.

"Aw man, Casey. What did you do to him this time?" Marti whispered suddenly in her ear.

Jumping a little and more than a bit shocked, Casey huffed out an indignant "_What?"_ to a little, smirking Marti. She was starting to creep Casey out with her eerie similarities to Derek's personality and her precociousness.

"Come on Casey, we all know that you are the only one who can ever throw off Derek this much and mess up his hockey 'zone' that he goes into."

"Huh?" was the only response she got. Signaling to Edwin, who had clued into their conversation, Marti bowed out of the situation and decided to go bug her dad for some ice cream.

_Really, those two are so stupid!_

After Casey had finally shooed Edwin away and back to Lizzie's side, she was able to sit and try to sort out Marti's cryptic elementary logic. She checked the hockey score again, even with Derek's craptastic playing, the team was still winning 3-0 though many, many players and fans looked confused as to why their beloved star and captain was spending a majority of his time pressed up against the glass or in the penalty box. Even worse, after speaking with Marti, Casey felt a weird twinge of guilt when she looked down and saw Derek sulking in the penalty box, _again_. Something was off and though she didn't think she was the cause of it, it was definitely strange that he wasn't skating around in his usual jackass style shooting pucks and smiles at his beloved fans. Instead he was sulking. Derek Venturi didn't do sulking. Not even when a girl decided that she wasn't that interested in him, and even that wasn't that often.

Wait, _was he looking at her? _She turned her head to try to see if he was really looking at her, and not at some bimbo behind her or Nora or someone sitting around her. Nope, he was looking at her. And it seemed like he was glaring at her.

* * *

Derek really hoped that she could feel his glare. It was _her_ fault that he was so off tonight and that thought alone bothered him but not as much as the thought that his team was so fed up with him right now, that they had taken to ignoring him because he just kept ending up in the penalty box. The crowds around him cheered as someone on his team scored another goal ensuring their win even more. Sighing he checked the time left on penalty- 96 seconds. 96 seconds left for him to plot Casey's demise. Now 95 seconds left for him to plot how she should be punished later. He looked up once more and smirked at his Dad's glaring face. George was clearly giving him the 'you better get out there and start playing for real' look but Derek decided not to let this bother him. He did need to think of something to get Casey back with later.

* * *

Okay, I know this is sort of short, but I've been ridiculously busy lately and writing sporadically late at night because that is the only time I have. Part two of this chapter is already formed in my head, I just have to put it down and post it so hopefully it will be up really soon!


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